08-17-2019, 02:39 AM
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//TW for gun violence, blood, death, fear of losing a loved one
He had just enough time to get one shot off. Just one.
They had been in the casino with Gav, watching some people play pool, occasionally calling out taunts but most of their attention was taken by Gav. Any time they looked away from him at the game, he was quick to draw their focus back to him, be it by kissing them or by tugging their chin towards him.
It was a good way to unwind after a long day, though they were pretty sure he had something else he'd rather be doing. Still, it was better to be together than to not be, so they didn't mind when he kept demanding their attention and gave it to him without any thought. It was a good moment. But no good moment was allowed to last, that's what Fate had taught them time and time again.
When the door opened, it barely registered in Cat's mind; the door had been opening and closing all evening, after all. They had gotten to such a state of comfort and ease in the casino that they rarely felt. This despite the assassin that Sheo had taken care of and the bombing those Insurrectionist teenagers had carried out. It was sort of weird, actually; normally they could scarcely relax anywhere, let alone a place that had been a proven target for their enemies.
Maybe it was all the people there, drinking and chatting and laughing. Maybe it was Gavril, who never failed to bring the constant, unending stress and tension down to manageable levels. It certainly wasn't any feeling of invincibility; after the damage they'd taken in the fight with Volatile and the conflict with Salem's old crewmate and contacts, they were too stiff and sore - at best - to feel impervious to attack and pain.
Well, maybe that wasn't true. It was easy to feel immune when it seemed that Fate just wasn't willing to let too much harm come to them. Some harm, yes, She had to keep things balanced, remind them that without Her blessing, things would be much, much worse. And they could accept that, no problem. Her kindness wasn't something they took for granted, and they'd do anything to keep it. Their position here, their family, hell even their survival could be attributed to Her. Everything they had to give them this happiness that put them at such ease, it was all Her. And whatever price she demanded, they'd pay.
"Catalyst." In the split second between the voice speaking and them turning to face its origin, a few thoughts and feelings ran through their mind. Irritation at being called a name they were trying to subtly leave behind. Irritation at being disrupted. Curiosity at what the fuck he wanted. Confusion at who he was, as they didn't recognize his voice. Suffice to say that they weren't happy, but such things were part of the beast of the job.
So they turned away from Gavril to face a stranger. Okay, they'd received joiners in the casino before, but no one was with him. There was a look in his eyes that in the moment they didn't recognize, yet was more familiar than it would be to most people. Though they didn't immediately realize why, their heart started hammering. Then he brought his arm up.
He had just enough time to get one shot off. Just one.
Time seemed to slow down for those few short seconds. Almost as soon as he pulled the trigger he was turning to leave, though he couldn't really believe he'd escape the Badlands after attempting to shoot the leader in the most public place with as many witnesses as possible. The bullet flew through the air, but it didn't hit its intended target. (Oh Fate, why couldn't it have hit its intended target?) It missed Cat easily, instead striking Gav. No.
Just one shot was all it took to bring their world crashing down.
He fell, collapsing against Cat and bringing them down with him. "Get him!" The words ripped themselves from their throat as they fell with him, arms already reaching for him, trying to minimize the impact. "Don't let him get out!" People were moving, going after him, and they just had to trust that their people would apprehend him, or kill him. In the moment they didn't care which.
Time seemed to pick right back up when they landed on the ground, as if the pain of impact brought them back in line with reality. People were running and screaming everywhere, but all of their attention was back on their boyfriend. The bullet had hit his shoulder, and already he was losing blood. Their hands were shaking, but they pressed them on the wound as hard as they could. "Stay with me, okay? Just hold on." Panic. This was panic and fear, no. Fear didn't cover it. This was terror, terror like they'd never known before. "Someone get a medic!" There was desperation in their voice, pure, blatant desperation and fear.
He reached up with one hand and took hold of their wrist. "Cat…" No. No. No, this couldn't happen. No. They took it back, this was too much. This was a price they couldn't pay. They couldn't stand to lose him. Her kindness could not come at the cost of this cruelty. "I love you."
They shook their head. "No. Don't talk like you're dying. You're not dying." Their voice was shaking. "I won't let you die." As if a mere mortal, a pawn got any say over such matters. If She was going to take him, there was nothing they could do to stop Her. But they couldn't accept that. "Where the fug is the medic?!"
Gav's grip tightened on their wrist. "Scott." He said, more insistently this time. They blinked down at him, surprised. Despite giving him permission to use their given name, he’d never taken them up on it until that moment. "Listen to me. You need to know - you need to make sure she knows." He didn’t have to explicitly say that he meant Mo - who was thankfully with Molly, safe away from this mess - they knew. ”Make sure she knows how much I love her. Promise me, Scott.”
They shook their head once more; tears were threatening to spill now. All the emotions that they were oh-so-good at keeping locked up were breaking out, and there was nothing they could do to stop it. ”You’ll make sure she knows yourself. You’re not dying.” Fuck, though. Fuck. What if he was? What if this was it for him, for the two of them? It wasn’t enough. It would never be enough, but this… this really wasn’t enough.
Why couldn’t the bullet have hit its mark?
His grip on their wrist loosened, strength sapped away with the blood they just couldn’t seem to stop from escaping. ”Scott, promise me, please.” He was desperate too.
They couldn’t hold back anymore. Tears flowed, dropping down to land on his face. They couldn’t take the pressure off of him for even one second to wipe their face clean, and they hardly thought that was a priority for him either. ”I promise. I promise, Gav, I promise. But you need to stay with me, promise me.”
Much of the color was gone from his face. They were pushing as hard as they could on the wound, but blood was slipping past their hands. ”I’ll - try. I-I’m scared.” He was slipping, struggling to keep his eyes open. His hand fell away from their wrist and another sob escaped them. No. Please. Not like this. Then he was unconscious, chest still rising and falling with his breathing, but getting more and more shallow.
More tears were slipping down their cheeks, but they wouldn’t let go of him until a medic came and told them to move their hands so he could be treated. They did glance up, though, to see what the Badlanders had done with the man that had shot one of their own.
OOC: Gav’s shoulder was shot and he’s currently unconscious but he will live! The assassin tried to leave but the Badlanders have free reign to capture or kill him, first come first serve. Cat would rather he be taken alive so they can have a go at him, but if he’s dead they won’t care. As long as he doesn’t escape, pretty much
[spoiler=IF YOU DONT KNOW NOW YOU KNOW && INFO && 08/16/19]GENERAL welcome to the end of eras, ice has melted back to life
⇥ Given name is Scott Mathew Darrow ⇥ Goes only by Catalyst or Cat
⇥ Assigned male at birth ⇥ Agender ⇥ They/Them pronouns only
⇥ Twenty-one ⇥ Born 11/27/17 ⇥ Sagittarius ⇥ Real time aging
⇥ Boss (leader) of the Badlands ⇥ Ex prisoner of the Badlands
⇥ Ex cultist (Mourningstar) ⇥ Ex member of the Young Rogues
RECENT EVENTS done my time and served my sentence
⇥ 08/16/39 ⇥ Witnessed their boyfriend get shot
⇥ 08/05/39 ⇥ Confronted Louie about his drinking
⇥ 08/01/39 ⇥ Was confronted by Addy about their cult past
⇥ 07/30/39 ⇥ Went with Salem and Addy to the confrontation
⇥ 07/29/39 ⇥ Got in a fight with Volatile
APPEARANCE dress me up and watch me die
⇥ Catalyst is 6'2" tall; they possess a lean and muscular body, one that has a variety of old scars adorning it. One of the easiest to notice is one that stretches down their right cheek. While not a scar, one very notable marking on their chest is the "BL" brand. They have two piercings, one in their tongue and the other in the cartilage of their left ear. They typically dress in dark colors (favoring jackets with some sort of writing on the back), and their hair is black. They're not all dark, however, as they have pale blue eyes that peer out from beneath medium-sized eyebrows.
PERSONALITY if it feels good, tastes good, it must be mine
⇥ Catalyst is ambitious, with the cunning and ruthlessness to reach their goals by any means necessary. They can be brutal when they feel it is needed, however when it's not they won't bother. They tend to be rather aloof and apathetic to most things and people, with some very rare exceptions. Provided those around them don't cross a few specific lines, they're content to leave them be, though they've been known to take an interest in some people, which seldom has a positive end for whoever their interest is in. They can be manipulative, and will often encourage people to make bad decisions. Those that stick by them will be rewarded, but those that do not will be cast out, as they've been outcast for their entire life and have learned to appreciate loyalty wherever they can find it. Even during the most stressful of situations, they usually keep a firm grip on their temper and keep their calm, though when they do snap and lose their temper, it is uncontrollable. They're remarkably observant, often able to deign much from subtle clues in what people say, how they say it and how they act.
RELATIONS dynasty decapitated, you just might see a ghost tonight
⇥ Molly Darrow x Austin Darrow ⇥ No siblings
⇥ Adopted parent of Molly Valentina Darrow-Lupei (Mo)
⇥ Pansexual/Panromantic ⇥ Very much taken ⇥ One Crush
⇥ Not looking but it happened ⇥ Rarely forms romantic attachment
⇥ Holds most people at arms length and doesn't get close
INTERACTION i'm taking back the c r o w n
⇥ Hard physically ⇥ Hard mentally ⇥ Doesn't let their guard down
⇥ Is most comfortable with close ranged-weapons ⇥ Dislikes guns
⇥ Brass knuckles ⇥ A variety of knives ⇥ Carries a handgun
⇥ Will kill/capture/maim in certain circumstances
⇥ Will leave things be in others ⇥ Will start & finish fights
⇥ No kill/capture/maim without permission
⇥ Attack in bold #0d0d0d and tag @/Bryne
⇥ Peaceful powerplay allowed but they may react negatively
⇥ Dislikes almost any sort of touch unless they initiate or agree to it
[/spoiler]
He had just enough time to get one shot off. Just one.
They had been in the casino with Gav, watching some people play pool, occasionally calling out taunts but most of their attention was taken by Gav. Any time they looked away from him at the game, he was quick to draw their focus back to him, be it by kissing them or by tugging their chin towards him.
It was a good way to unwind after a long day, though they were pretty sure he had something else he'd rather be doing. Still, it was better to be together than to not be, so they didn't mind when he kept demanding their attention and gave it to him without any thought. It was a good moment. But no good moment was allowed to last, that's what Fate had taught them time and time again.
When the door opened, it barely registered in Cat's mind; the door had been opening and closing all evening, after all. They had gotten to such a state of comfort and ease in the casino that they rarely felt. This despite the assassin that Sheo had taken care of and the bombing those Insurrectionist teenagers had carried out. It was sort of weird, actually; normally they could scarcely relax anywhere, let alone a place that had been a proven target for their enemies.
Maybe it was all the people there, drinking and chatting and laughing. Maybe it was Gavril, who never failed to bring the constant, unending stress and tension down to manageable levels. It certainly wasn't any feeling of invincibility; after the damage they'd taken in the fight with Volatile and the conflict with Salem's old crewmate and contacts, they were too stiff and sore - at best - to feel impervious to attack and pain.
Well, maybe that wasn't true. It was easy to feel immune when it seemed that Fate just wasn't willing to let too much harm come to them. Some harm, yes, She had to keep things balanced, remind them that without Her blessing, things would be much, much worse. And they could accept that, no problem. Her kindness wasn't something they took for granted, and they'd do anything to keep it. Their position here, their family, hell even their survival could be attributed to Her. Everything they had to give them this happiness that put them at such ease, it was all Her. And whatever price she demanded, they'd pay.
"Catalyst." In the split second between the voice speaking and them turning to face its origin, a few thoughts and feelings ran through their mind. Irritation at being called a name they were trying to subtly leave behind. Irritation at being disrupted. Curiosity at what the fuck he wanted. Confusion at who he was, as they didn't recognize his voice. Suffice to say that they weren't happy, but such things were part of the beast of the job.
So they turned away from Gavril to face a stranger. Okay, they'd received joiners in the casino before, but no one was with him. There was a look in his eyes that in the moment they didn't recognize, yet was more familiar than it would be to most people. Though they didn't immediately realize why, their heart started hammering. Then he brought his arm up.
He had just enough time to get one shot off. Just one.
Time seemed to slow down for those few short seconds. Almost as soon as he pulled the trigger he was turning to leave, though he couldn't really believe he'd escape the Badlands after attempting to shoot the leader in the most public place with as many witnesses as possible. The bullet flew through the air, but it didn't hit its intended target. (Oh Fate, why couldn't it have hit its intended target?) It missed Cat easily, instead striking Gav. No.
Just one shot was all it took to bring their world crashing down.
He fell, collapsing against Cat and bringing them down with him. "Get him!" The words ripped themselves from their throat as they fell with him, arms already reaching for him, trying to minimize the impact. "Don't let him get out!" People were moving, going after him, and they just had to trust that their people would apprehend him, or kill him. In the moment they didn't care which.
Time seemed to pick right back up when they landed on the ground, as if the pain of impact brought them back in line with reality. People were running and screaming everywhere, but all of their attention was back on their boyfriend. The bullet had hit his shoulder, and already he was losing blood. Their hands were shaking, but they pressed them on the wound as hard as they could. "Stay with me, okay? Just hold on." Panic. This was panic and fear, no. Fear didn't cover it. This was terror, terror like they'd never known before. "Someone get a medic!" There was desperation in their voice, pure, blatant desperation and fear.
He reached up with one hand and took hold of their wrist. "Cat…" No. No. No, this couldn't happen. No. They took it back, this was too much. This was a price they couldn't pay. They couldn't stand to lose him. Her kindness could not come at the cost of this cruelty. "I love you."
They shook their head. "No. Don't talk like you're dying. You're not dying." Their voice was shaking. "I won't let you die." As if a mere mortal, a pawn got any say over such matters. If She was going to take him, there was nothing they could do to stop Her. But they couldn't accept that. "Where the fug is the medic?!"
Gav's grip tightened on their wrist. "Scott." He said, more insistently this time. They blinked down at him, surprised. Despite giving him permission to use their given name, he’d never taken them up on it until that moment. "Listen to me. You need to know - you need to make sure she knows." He didn’t have to explicitly say that he meant Mo - who was thankfully with Molly, safe away from this mess - they knew. ”Make sure she knows how much I love her. Promise me, Scott.”
They shook their head once more; tears were threatening to spill now. All the emotions that they were oh-so-good at keeping locked up were breaking out, and there was nothing they could do to stop it. ”You’ll make sure she knows yourself. You’re not dying.” Fuck, though. Fuck. What if he was? What if this was it for him, for the two of them? It wasn’t enough. It would never be enough, but this… this really wasn’t enough.
Why couldn’t the bullet have hit its mark?
His grip on their wrist loosened, strength sapped away with the blood they just couldn’t seem to stop from escaping. ”Scott, promise me, please.” He was desperate too.
They couldn’t hold back anymore. Tears flowed, dropping down to land on his face. They couldn’t take the pressure off of him for even one second to wipe their face clean, and they hardly thought that was a priority for him either. ”I promise. I promise, Gav, I promise. But you need to stay with me, promise me.”
Much of the color was gone from his face. They were pushing as hard as they could on the wound, but blood was slipping past their hands. ”I’ll - try. I-I’m scared.” He was slipping, struggling to keep his eyes open. His hand fell away from their wrist and another sob escaped them. No. Please. Not like this. Then he was unconscious, chest still rising and falling with his breathing, but getting more and more shallow.
More tears were slipping down their cheeks, but they wouldn’t let go of him until a medic came and told them to move their hands so he could be treated. They did glance up, though, to see what the Badlanders had done with the man that had shot one of their own.
OOC: Gav’s shoulder was shot and he’s currently unconscious but he will live! The assassin tried to leave but the Badlanders have free reign to capture or kill him, first come first serve. Cat would rather he be taken alive so they can have a go at him, but if he’s dead they won’t care. As long as he doesn’t escape, pretty much
[spoiler=IF YOU DONT KNOW NOW YOU KNOW && INFO && 08/16/19]GENERAL welcome to the end of eras, ice has melted back to life
⇥ Given name is Scott Mathew Darrow ⇥ Goes only by Catalyst or Cat
⇥ Assigned male at birth ⇥ Agender ⇥ They/Them pronouns only
⇥ Twenty-one ⇥ Born 11/27/17 ⇥ Sagittarius ⇥ Real time aging
⇥ Boss (leader) of the Badlands ⇥ Ex prisoner of the Badlands
⇥ Ex cultist (Mourningstar) ⇥ Ex member of the Young Rogues
RECENT EVENTS done my time and served my sentence
⇥ 08/16/39 ⇥ Witnessed their boyfriend get shot
⇥ 08/05/39 ⇥ Confronted Louie about his drinking
⇥ 08/01/39 ⇥ Was confronted by Addy about their cult past
⇥ 07/30/39 ⇥ Went with Salem and Addy to the confrontation
⇥ 07/29/39 ⇥ Got in a fight with Volatile
APPEARANCE dress me up and watch me die
⇥ Catalyst is 6'2" tall; they possess a lean and muscular body, one that has a variety of old scars adorning it. One of the easiest to notice is one that stretches down their right cheek. While not a scar, one very notable marking on their chest is the "BL" brand. They have two piercings, one in their tongue and the other in the cartilage of their left ear. They typically dress in dark colors (favoring jackets with some sort of writing on the back), and their hair is black. They're not all dark, however, as they have pale blue eyes that peer out from beneath medium-sized eyebrows.
PERSONALITY if it feels good, tastes good, it must be mine
⇥ Catalyst is ambitious, with the cunning and ruthlessness to reach their goals by any means necessary. They can be brutal when they feel it is needed, however when it's not they won't bother. They tend to be rather aloof and apathetic to most things and people, with some very rare exceptions. Provided those around them don't cross a few specific lines, they're content to leave them be, though they've been known to take an interest in some people, which seldom has a positive end for whoever their interest is in. They can be manipulative, and will often encourage people to make bad decisions. Those that stick by them will be rewarded, but those that do not will be cast out, as they've been outcast for their entire life and have learned to appreciate loyalty wherever they can find it. Even during the most stressful of situations, they usually keep a firm grip on their temper and keep their calm, though when they do snap and lose their temper, it is uncontrollable. They're remarkably observant, often able to deign much from subtle clues in what people say, how they say it and how they act.
RELATIONS dynasty decapitated, you just might see a ghost tonight
⇥ Molly Darrow x Austin Darrow ⇥ No siblings
⇥ Adopted parent of Molly Valentina Darrow-Lupei (Mo)
⇥ Pansexual/Panromantic ⇥ Very much taken ⇥ One Crush
⇥ Not looking but it happened ⇥ Rarely forms romantic attachment
⇥ Holds most people at arms length and doesn't get close
INTERACTION i'm taking back the c r o w n
⇥ Hard physically ⇥ Hard mentally ⇥ Doesn't let their guard down
⇥ Is most comfortable with close ranged-weapons ⇥ Dislikes guns
⇥ Brass knuckles ⇥ A variety of knives ⇥ Carries a handgun
⇥ Will kill/capture/maim in certain circumstances
⇥ Will leave things be in others ⇥ Will start & finish fights
⇥ No kill/capture/maim without permission
⇥ Attack in bold #0d0d0d and tag @/Bryne
⇥ Peaceful powerplay allowed but they may react negatively
⇥ Dislikes almost any sort of touch unless they initiate or agree to it
[/spoiler]
I HAD THIS FEELING THAT YOU'D BETRAY ME ——————
IF I GAVE TOO MUCH AND YOU TOOK TOO MUCH ——————
there's blood on the leaves / there's blood on the sands I ——————
FEEL HIS GRACE S L O W L Y RUNNING OUT ——————
GIVE ME TRUTH GIVE ME A WAY OUT (I GOT A BONE TO PICK) ——————
[align=center]SOMEBODY [I]SHOWED YOU ALL OF THE HORRORS YOU WEREN'T BORN WITH IT ——————